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Florida lawmakers have passed a statewide ban on texting while driving. The Senate passed a bill (SB 52) on Thursday by 39-1. Yessica Torres, whose family member was killed in a texting-while-driving crash, comments. Sen. Nancy Detert and Broward Commissioner Chip LaMarca also comment. (Published Friday, May 3, 2013)

Updated at 9:06 AM EDT on Friday, May 3, 2013

Florida lawmakers have passed a statewide ban on texting while driving.

The Senate passed a bill (SB 52) on Thursday by 39-1. Republican Sen. Joe Negron of Stuart was the only no vote.

The Legal Playbook: Texting and Driving

The experts from Anidjar and Levine speak about the dangers of texting and driving. (Published Monday, April 15, 2013)

Bill sponsor Sen. Nancy Detert said she decided "not to let the perfect get in the way of the possible" and agreed to the late amendment.

Miami-Dade County Fairgoers Try Out Texting and Driving Simulator

A texting and driving simulator attracted dozens of people to a booth at the Miami-Dade County Fair. Andrea Villacicencio of AT&T, Jahmarr Smith and fair VP Nancy Chevres spoke about it. (Published Friday, March 29, 2013)

The bill now goes to Gov. Rick Scott's desk. Broward County Commissioner Chip LaMarca believes the latest effort could become law.

"It's very non-political. It's non-controversial," LaMarca said. "I think it's something he can get behind and it's a public safety issue."

Florida One of 5 States Without a Texting and Driving Ban

More than 3,000 people are killed and nearly 500,000 are injured each year in distraction-related crashes, including those caused by texting while driving. Attorney Alan Goldfarb, FHP spokesman Joe Sanchez, FIU Senior Instructor Katherine Depalo, Boca Raton State Rep. Irv Slosberg, and Ryan Duffy spoke about the issue. (Published Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013)

Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia already have texting-while-driving bans for all drivers.

Yessica Torres said she believes a violent car wreck that left her mother dead and her father severely injured may have been avoided if some kind of anti-texting while driving law already existed in Florida.

”Not having that law changed my life. Maybe if we had that law back then, my life would be completely different right now,” she said.

The crash involved a teen driver who was on his cell phone minutes before the crash, his phone records showed. His attorney has told NBC 6 that his client was speeding, not texting.

Torres supports the bill awaiting action in Tallahassee.

”I know today it got passed in the Senate, and we're just waiting on Rick Scott to pass it or veto it,” she said.